Wheel attachment for vehicles



Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,755

E. n. RoArH 'WHEEL TTACHMENT FCR VEHICLES Filed Dec. 13. 1926 INI/ENTOR. fmesf Day/d /Poa/v l A TTORNEYS.

ground wheels 1l;

Patented Jan. v3, 1928.

ERNEST DAVID ROATH, OF NEAR PASAIDENA., CALIFORNA.y i

YWHEEL ATTACHMENT Eon VEHICLES.

v Application led December 13, 1926. Serial No. 1545451.k

l This invention relates to a pair of wheels combined with guiding means for their attachment to al vehicle having the usual numbervof Vfour or more wheels. The invention may be embodied in a unit properlytermed a two wheeled trailer or may be'embodied in combinationwith a four wheeled Vehicle to form a. complete unit. 'd Y Y The objects of this invention are first, to provide, a device of the character` described thewheels of which will be guided inthe path. of travel of the vehicle either in going ahead or backing up; second,"to provide a frame supported by the wheels and axle and serving for coupling the latter to the Vvehicle; and third, to provide a pivotal coupling controlled by the operator so asto properly guide the wheels in eitherV forward or backward movement of to provide. details of structure whereby an eiiicient, simple, durable economical and novel device of the character described is obtained. j Y

These objects ytogetherwith other objects and correspondingaccomplishments `are obtained'by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the 'accompanying drawing, in which y Y e f ,Fig. l is a plan View showing a fragment of the chassis of aa` motor vehicle with my structure secured thereto; 2'is. a `section as seen on the line 2,-2 of Fig. 1"; Fig. 3

is .a fragmentary view as seen on the lline 3-3 of Fig. l; and Fig. Lis a. detail showing a fragment of the selector as illustrated in Fig. 2 and on an enlarged scale. i

Referring with more particularit-y to the drawingj indicates the rear axle of a Lm07-V tor vehicle,v which vehicle mayh'ave the usual number of four Wheels', although. theinvention isn'ot limited tol use` with ajfour wheel vehicle. llVheels 6 .mounted-.upon the; axle in this instance, illustrated as driving are wheels.. Hingedly secured to the axle is a frame indicated generally,by"7 andcomprising side bars, bridged at lanA intermediate portion by pivotal coupling member 8.v p'plhe coupling member k8y has a recess?) rfacingthe rear. Y V f Y .lournalled uponthe ends of'anaxle 10 .are A f cross .tongue y12 .is fixed to the axle and extends forwardly thereof and to therea'r; of the tongue has spacedloars 13 between which are journalled rollers` lflonwertical axis.

the` vehicle; and fourth,r

The Vforward* end` vQVand thereby to be guided.'A l This structure comprisesV aldraw bar l fthe wheels v roller coupler, Aiiixed to the frame is an arcuate sector l5 for the rollers to ride against. The construction is such thatthe rollers and sectors provide a" drawv bar for pushing and pulling' .the attachment. Mounted upon the frame is avbracketg 16 extending'through a slot in the tonguey and having anf eyeV through which slidabl'y ex# tendsa selector rod '17.'A yForward of the axle is a Vbracket 18d serving as aguide yforthe rod. Journalled upon a'verticalV axis at the forward end of the selector is aroller 19 and i at' the rear end is a. roller 20. The selector isA -se' arrangedzthatroller 19 mayv be projected into the Arecess9 or rollerEZO'maybe pro- 'lor jectedinto the recess `2l formed Yin a pivotal coupler block22 secured to therear end of the tongue.V 1 ith roller 19 in recess9' the wheels l1 are secured'to the frame upon'a pivotal axis located forward of the axle and suitable for the guiding of theV wheelsl as the vehicle travelsA forward. Ifjthe roller QOis in recess 2l,- the' pivotalconnection is to therear of the axle labout roller 20, The arrangementV is such that the wheels'I are guided when the' pivotal connection is atV the rear when thevmachine is backed up. v

' Secured to the ton-gue and to the side of the frame 7 are springs 23 serving to steady the tonguevinjitsmovement. To aid in'the free swinging movement of Vthe tengue,r a roljer 24 is secured 'to the'tongue and rides againsty av bridge" member 25 mounted upon theframe. Shdably mounted on the'selector rodz 17 isan'arm 26 foi connection thereto of-a link. The link indicated by 27 in '2 extends" forwardly to thevehlcle and positionby compression springs 29. abutting coll'arsi'SO upon the selector. j

In going forward,-the parts are ina posi-V ,tion shown'inQFigs. 1 and 2,.the wheels'll being Vplvota'lly ,secured at :recess 9 ytof the frame forward of their axle. When'fit is desired tobaclr,` the selector is moved to the l rear seas toengagerecess Q1, thereby caus-v ing the wheels topivot about an axis ath'rollerrv IvThe construction' such which are added to the vehicle will carry their proportional load due to the hinged attachment oi" the trame to the vehicle. The result in adding the extra paii| of Wheelsis to reduce the load on any one wheel. By reason of the guiding of the Vwheels at the rear, there is less slippage or ytendency to skid. Obviously, the attachment may be made a permanent or integral part of the .vehicle or may be arranged so as to be atof the ,class described comprising a frame se-Y cured to said vehicleV against lateral swinging thereon, an axle having ground wheels, means to pivotally secure said axle to said frame selectively Aeither orwar'dthereo-f or to the rear.

3. In combination with a vehicle, a device of theclass described comprising a frame secured to .said vehicle against lateral swinging thereon, an axle having ground wheels, means Vto pivotally secure said axle to said frame forward thereof or to the rear, and

' means operable from said vehicle to selectively couple V said axle to one of the pivotal axis. s

4. In combination with a vehicle, a device Voi the 'class described comprising al frame secured to .said vehicle against lateral swinging thereof, an axle having ground wheels, means to p ivotally secure said axle to said lframe selectivelyeither forward thereof or to .theyrean and draw har means to'secure said axle to said frame. i

5, Incoinbination with a vehicle, a device ofthe class described comprising a frame secure'dto said vehicle against lateral swinging thereon, an axle having ground wheels, means to pivotally secure said axle to said frame either forward thereof or to the rear,

ieans operable from said vehicle to selectively couple said axle to one of the pivotal axes', and draw bar means to secure said axle to said frame. Y

6. In combination with a vehicle, aA device of the class described comprisingv a frame secured to said vehicle against lateral swing'- ying thereon, an axle having ground wheels, a

cross tongue secured to said axle, a pivot connectoi `for securing said cross tongue to said frame on a pivotal axis selected either at the front or rear of said axle.

7. In combination with a vehicle, a devicey of the class described comprising a frame secured to ,said vehicle against lateral swinging thereon, an axle having ground wheels, a cross tongue secured to said axle, a pivot connector for securing said cross tongue to the frame on' a pivotal axis selectedeither at the front or rear of said axle, and draw bar means Vto secure said tongue to saidr frame. p A

8. In combination with a vehicle, a device of the class described comprising a frame hingea'bly' secured thereto for up and down movement and held against lateral movement, an axle having ground wheels thereon, a cross tongue Vfixed to said axle, adravw barV sector secured to said frame, a draw bar roller coupling securing said tongue to said 4Sector so that the tongue may ride over said sector, a pivotal connector on said tongue arranged to be selectively actuated to pivotally secure said tongue to said frame veither at the front or rear of said axle.

9. In combination with a vehicle, aY device of the class described comprising a frame hingeably secured thereto for up and down movement and held against lateral 'movement, an axle having ground wheels thereon, a cross tongue fixed to said axle, a draw bar sector secured to said frame, adraw bar roller coupling securing said tongue to said sector so that the tongue may ride 'thereover, a pivotal coupler on said frame in front of said axle, a pivotal coupler on said frame at the rear of said axle, a pivotal selector disposed on said tongue for longitudinal movement so as to be operatively connected with either of said couplers.v y s 10. In combination 'with a vehicle, a device icc of the class described, comprising a frame hingeab'ly secured thereto forv up fand down movement and against lateral movement, an axle having ground wheels thereon, a cross tongue fixed to said axle, a drawbar sector secured to said frame, a draw .bar roller coupling securing ysaid tongue to said `sector so lthat said vtongue may fride thereover, .a pivotal coupler on said frame in frontof said axle, a vpivotal couplerr on said frame at the rearl of said axle, a pivotal selectorV disposed on said tongue for longitudinal movement so aS .to be operatively connected with 'either of said couplers, and means to actuate said selector from the vehicle couplers;

11. Av device of the class described comprising a frame, an axle having ground wheels thereon, a crossltongue ixed to said axle, a draw bar sector secured tolsaidfframa ,a draw bar roller coupling securing said tongue to said/sector so that the tongue may ride thereover, a pivotal'connector on said tongue arranged to be selectively-actuated to pivotally secure said tongue tosaid frame either vat the front or rear of said axle. p

12. A device ofthe class described comprising a frame, an vaxle having ground Wheels thereon, Va cross tongue ixed to said axle, a draw bar sector secured to said frame, a draw bar roller coupling securing said tongue to said sector so that the tongue may v ride thereover, a pivotal Coupling on said frame in front of said axle, a pivotal coupling on said frame at the rear of said axle, and a pivotal selector disposed on said tongue for longitudinal movement so as to be operatively connected with either of said 10 couplers.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2nd day of December, 1926.

ERNEST DAVID ROATH. 

